Virtually Sleepless
by Sexishinigami
Summary: Allen, Kanda, and Lavi had been unable to sleep due to strange dreams. Upon reporting to Komui about it, he suggests using experimental technology tpo look inside their dreams. But what might be revealed in their dreams, and what might be broken?
1. Chapter 1

**One**

Bright and early, when no other was awake yet, Allen awoke, drowsy and groggy. _Another virtually sleepless night_, he thought bitterly, rolling out of bed and standing up. He stretched and stared out the window. The sun was just barely rising. Figures. Slipping on his clothes, he quietly opened the door and left the room. Maybe they were still working downstairs….

"Allen, what are you doing up so early?" He stopped and turned around.

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied, staring at Lavi.

"Hey, I asked first!" He zipped up to Allen's side, and he started walking again.

"I couldn't sleep."  
"Ditto. It's these damn dreams that I've been having."

"What kind of dreams?" _Sounds oddly familiar…_, Allen thought.

"They're just…weird…"  
"Weird how?"

"Just--Yuu!" He stopped, staring into Kanda's room. The door was wide open, and Kanda was sitting on his bed.

"What do you want Lavi?" Kanda asked. He appeared to be twice as irritable then normal. "And what are you and bean sprout doing out this late anyways?"  
"Wouldn't that be what are we doing out this _early_?"

"What the hell do you want?"  
"Are you having trouble sleeping too?"  
"What's it to you?"

"I take that as a yes."  
"Join the club," Allen muttered.

"Too weird!" Lavi seemed, as it appeared to Allen, to be enjoying the fact that all three of them weren't sleeping. "You think this is just coincidence? Or is something up?"

"I think something's up," Allen said. "And I think we should go tell Komui about it."  
"Whatever," Kanda muttered, standing up. Translation: he was agreeing with Allen. The tree slowly trudged down to see Komui, who was asleep at his desk.

"Damn…," Allen said. "Shall I do the honors?"

"No! Let me do it!" Lavi said quickly. He zipped to the snoring Komui's side, brushed his hair aside, and whispered "Lenalee's getting Married."

"LENALEE!!" Komui shouted, snapping awake in an instant. "What!? Whats going on!? More importantly, what time is it?"  
"Two thirty seven," Kanda growled. "_A.M._"

"Why are you waking me up at this hour?"

"We think something's up," Allen said. "None of us has been able to sleep lately."  
"Oh really?"  
"Yeah. And, I'm not so sure about Kanda, but me and Lavi have been having strange dreams, which is why we're unable to sleep."  
"So you automatically assume something's up?"  
"Well we weren't sure if something was up, or if it was just coincidence. What do you think?"  
"I don't know. What do these 'weird dreams' consist of?"  
"Well in mine…everyone dies. I know, it's not too weird, but they _all die_. Kanda, Lavi, Mana, General Cross, you, Lenalee-"  
"WHAT?!"  
"Exactly."

"What…what about you Lavi?"

"I'm not telling," Lavi muttered, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Well…Kanda?"  
"Fuck off Komui," Kanda spat.

"Alrighty then. It must be something weird. In fact…" He began to dig through one of the monstrous piles of paper on his desk, searching for something. After minutes of searching and papers flying every which way, he pulled out a file. "Something like this has happened before."  
"What!?"

"In that case, the Millennium Earl was actually infiltrating the people's dreams. The reason is still to this day unknown, as is to how he got into their minds as well. The victims were all innocence wielders who had yet to join us."

"What happened to them?"

"They died." Two of the three exorcists paled--Kanda didn't look worried. But then again, he never looked anything other then angry.

"They…died?" Allen asked, his voice quivering slightly.

"Yes."

"How?"  
"One quite literally died from terror, one was killed inside their dream, and the last…never woke up."

"He never woke up?" Lavi questioned. "What'd you do with the body? I mean, there's still a chance they might wake up, right?"

"Possibly, but its not likely. But the body…well…I believe the Earl has it."  
"Oh really?"  
"Yes." Komui opened the file and pulled out a few pictures. "This was the first victim: the one who died from terror." He put the picture down in front of him. "This is the second victim: the one who was killed in her dreams." He added that picture. "And this…this is the victim who hasn't woken up yet." The three exorcists stared at the pictures.

"When exactly did this happen?" Allen asked.

"Several years ago."  
"How many years _exactly_."  
"Four and a half."  
"D'you…d'you think we're going to die?" Lavi whispered, picking up the picture of the third victim.

"I can't say for sure. But I'm almost certain that Reever knows where we keep the technology to stop this."

"What?"  
"We've been working on something relating to his file. It's still in the experimental stage, but you three are the perfect guinea pigs to test it on!"

"WHAT?!"  
"We'll knock you out and put this little chip in your head--well, maybe not in that order--but once the chip is in your head, we'll be able to see your dreams on a screen. I've lost the chips and the screen so many times that Reever had to take it and put it into safe keeping. If we can use you three as guinea pigs, we can perfect and bugs in the system, and we can stop the earl from killing you. What do you say?"  
"How the hell could that possibly help us?" Kanda asked, his voice rising uncharacteristically. "You can watch what's going on in our dreams and wake us up before anything bad happens. Big! Fucking! Deal! How the hell is that supposed to let us sleep in peace again and get the god damned Earl out of our friggen minds, huh?!"

"Good lord! You're going first!"  
"No! I vote that bean sprout goes first! That way you can screw his head up, and I can finally rest easy!" Allen paled, and Lavi patted him on the shoulder sympathetically.

"How about this," Lavi said. "I'll go first and-"  
"SO THEN IT'S SETTLED!" Komui said, beaming brightly and standing up. He threw his arm around Allen's shoulders. "Allen goes first!"

"B-but…Lavi said he would…," Allen pleaded.

"Now to find Reever and get the technology. We want to get this done with as quickly as possible, eh? We don't want poor Allen here to go insane from lack of sleep!"  
"Lack of sleep is the least of my worries…"  
"Oh shush. You three stay here, and I'll go find Reever." Komui skipped out of the room, happy to finally be able to test his experiment.

"My god…I'm not going to make it out of this, am I?"  
"Probably not, since this thing is 'still in the experimental stage'," Lavi said.

"Ooooohhh…."

"Whatever," Kanda said, pushing a stack of papers off of Komui's desk and sitting on it. "Doesn't matter to me. We can always find another one of you. No big deal." Allen frowned and sat down on the floor, leaning against Komui's desk and hugging his knees against his chest.

"I should've just stayed in my room…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Two**

"…And you do have Allen's permission to do this, right?" Reever asked, staring at Allen. Komui, being entirely too eager, had already given him a knock out drug, and he was sleeping peacefully (or so it appeared) on his bed.

"O-of course," Komui stuttered, grinning. Kanda and Lavi didn't say anything.

"Positive?"

"Yes."  
"Would you bet your kidney on it?"  
"Just do it already!"

"Fine." Komui and the others turned away as Reever carefully began the process of installing the chip into Allen's head. When he as done, there was a small blood stain on the pillow beside him, but otherwise no real evidence.

"Well, lets see if this works then, shall we?" Reever muttered, flipping a switch on a screen that was set up on the wall beside the bed. To begin with, it was dark and fuzzy, but as Allen began to sink deeper into sleep, the screen began to become clearer…

_"…going so great, don't you think?" Lenalee said happily, smiling at Allen._

_"Yeah, everything's going fantastic!" Allen replied, grinning. I watched from the sidelines. How could I be watching myself talk to Lenalee? Oh. Right. I'm dreaming. _

_"I can't wait to see how it all turns out in the end!" I was suddenly behind her, looming tall over her head…watching and listening as she spoke to myself. "Don't you want to see?" Allen didn't say anything. His eyes were wide, and he was staring in my direction. "Allen?"_

_"L-Lenalee! The Earl! Behind-" But it was too late. I--the Earl I suppose--sent my--his!--sword through her heart. Her screaming gasp echoed through out the vast emptiness where we were, and she disappeared. Allen dropped to his knees, his face showing just how distraught he was. _

_"Allen Walker, Allen Walker," I found myself saying. I had no control right now. "Such a pity. Unable to help her. Your feelings crushed, and your mind broken. Allen Walker, Allen Walker…" I watched as Allen activated the innocence in his arm and swung at me, angry, but it passed right through me. Both angry and depressed, he stopped. He stood there a moment, before taking a shocking swing at himself, and a shot of pain echoed throughout myself. Then…it was dark again. _

"Good god! Is he supposed to be bleeding like that?!" Komui screeched, staring at the blood that was spreading across Allen's torso.

"No! It's just a dream!" Reever replied frantically, running over to Allen's side. He tore his shirt open. But…there was no wound… "Where's it coming from…?"

_When the darkness disappeared again, I found myself staring upwards, and myself crying beside me, young and helpless._

_"Manaaaa!" Allen wailed, throwing himself down onto my chest and sobbing. "Mana don't die! Don't leave me alone!" I felt myself wanting to cry…but I couldn't…_

"This is so strange," Reever said, watching tears fall down Allen's face. "I don't understand. He dies in the dream, and he's covered in blood with no wound. He becomes the only man who loved him when he died, and he cries? How…? He's just dreaming…"  
_"Would you like me to bring your Mana back for you?" The Earl's voice asked, echoing, and we were suddenly in the graveyard. I was the Earl again, and Allen was sobbing onto Mana's grave. _

_"Wh-what?"_

_"I can bring him back for you." No! No, I didn't want to live through this again! The empty Akuma body appeared beside me. "All you need to do is call for him. You, the one he loved most. Just call for him." Barley hesitating, Allen screamed his name as loud as he could….and the nightmare began again. I was only able to watch this time, that stupid grin plastered on the face that wasn't mine. It hurt so bad to see it again…And when the Earl left, leaving Allen alone, I was there with him, no longer being the earl. Slowly, as the shadowy figure that was General Cross appeared, my dream went fuzzy, and faded away again…what it would show me next, I could only fear._

"Do I have to go next?" Lavi asked, his voice shaking. "I-I don't think I can…"  
"Well I'm sure as hell not going," Kanda said stiffly. "You're going next!"

"But…"

"Oh both of you just shut up and take it like men!" Komui said. "I'm sure it won't hurt too much!" He continued staring at the screen and watching Allen's dreams project, taking no notice of how pale Kanda was (though his face still showed anger), and how Lavi was trying to figure out how to climb out the window without getting noticed.

There was a knock on the door.

"Nii-san, are you in there?" In an instant, the door was open, and Lenalee was in the room with everyone. "Whats going on?" She was completely clueless, standing there staring at everyone, holding the tray of coffee mugs. "And what are you doing to Allen?"

"We're watching his dreams…," Reever said. "And now that you know, you can't leave. You have to stay here with us and watch."  
"B-but I just wanted to bring Nii-san his coffee!"  
"And I thank you for that," Komui said, taking his mug of coffee off the tray. "But as for now, pull Lavi out of the window and take a seat with him and Kanda." Sighing, Lenalee did what she was told, sitting down just as another segment of Allen's dream began.

_I found myself behind them again, listening to their conversation._

_"…stupid," Kanda said, crossing his arms. "I can't believe you'd say something that stupid Lavi!"_

_"Aw, lighten up Yuu!" Lavi teased, tugging on Kanda's ponytail. "It was a joke! Now how 'bout another one?"  
"No."_

_"What do you say to a man with five penises?"  
"You can't be serious, can you? That's worse then the first-"  
"Your jeans fit like a glove! Hah, get it?" Kanda slapped his forehead as Lavi laughed._

"Heh, that's actually pretty funny!" Lavi said. Kanda slapped his forehead, muttering profanities and cursing Lavi under his breath.

_"Hey!" Allen yelled, running up to them. Oh no…here it comes…_

_"Whats up bean sprout?" Lavi asked._

_"It's Allen!"_

_"Still. Whats up?" Allen took a seat beside him, and they started talking again._

_"…and so the last vampire walks in and says give me a shot of water," Lavi said, telling another stupid joke. "And the bartender was all 'why a shot of water?' and the vampire-"  
"Damn it!" Before Lavi could finish his joke, he was hit in the back with sudden light force, and as he jumped to his feet and looked, he saw that Kanda had fallen. His own sword jetted from the center of his back. "D-damn it…," he muttered. _

_"Yuu!" Lavi cried, dropping to his side. He shook Kanda's shoulder, he himself trembling as Kanda's eyes fluttered shut. "Yuu! Wake up damn it!" The Earl's laughter echoed throughout the vast emptiness of the dream, and Lavi rose to his feet, activating his innocence and pulling his hammer from the holster on his thigh. But as it grew, it shattered, and he was defenseless._

_"What the hell!?" he cried, taking a few steps back. "Allen, cover me!" _

_"Got it!" Allen activated the innocence in his arm and was prepared to fight…but he heard a shaky gasp from Lavi. "L-Lavi…?" He looked, and saw that there hadn't been enough space between the two of them…and…one of the sharp, skeletal fingers of his weapon-arm had pierced through Lavi. "No!" He deactivated his arm quickly, and Lavi fell backwards into his arms. _

_"D-damn….," Lavi whispered. _

_"L-Lavi!" Allen cried. He was on his knees now, holding Lavi tightly. "Lavi! You can't die too! Please!"_

_"I-I don't…I-I can't…." His eyes fell shut, and he stopped breathing in Allen's arms._

_"NO! Dear god, no!" Lavi and Kanda's bodies disappeared, and suddenly I was behind Allen, holding his shoulders tightly so he couldn't escape. _

_"See what you've done?" I hissed into his ear._

_"Wh-what?"_

_"It was your fault. You didn't save them. If you'd have paid more attention, I gave you several minutes to save that man with the sword. And should you have taken one step back, your redhead wouldn't have been killed. Don't you realize that?" Allen's tears fell quickly, and he took the earl's words to heart._

_"I-I could've…I could've save them! I-I'm so…so clueless!" I held him tighter as he began shaking. My intentions--the Earl's intentions! I would never do this! To myself, or to anyone!--was to break me. To make me kill myself again….and again…and again. There would be no escape from the constant suicide attempts. _

_"That's right. It's your fault, Allen Walker. It's your fault. No one's but yours." I let go as Allen reached for Mugen, which was left behind when Kanda's body disappeared. His hand shook as he saw it was still stained with his blood…He held the sword in front of him, pointing the blade at his heart, and thrust it through himself, pushing the life from him and making him fall. His body disappeared as his last breath ended. I smiled, though it was hard to smile with a face that was always a grin. _

_"You see Allen Walker?" I said to myself. "You can't escape me! You'll die…" I picked up Mugen, just as Allen had done and pointed the blade at my heart. "_If it's the last thing I do!_" I screamed in my mind as I brought the blade through myself._

Allen screamed loudly, still sleeping, as the sword wound appeared through his stomach. Luckily, the Earl was a bit off, and it didn't pierce through his heart, but the wound did appear this time.

"Allen!" Lenalee shouted, jumping to her feet. "Nii-san! Wake him up! Wake him up!" Komui quickly tried waking Allen, but he had no luck. He eventually slipped into unconsciousness from blood loss, which was much safer then sleep, but he didn't wake up. In a way, he was still asleep.

"We shouldn't have done that!" Reever wailed. "Now he might never wake up!"

"We had no choice!" Komui replied. "And we still have to keep going with Lavi and Kanda! The Earl has done his job with Allen, because he thinks he's dead. If we can keep him alive, _his_ ordeal will be over. He'll be able to sleep again. But the others still need to go through this process."  
"Great," Lavi muttered shakily. "I just watched myself die…and now I have to go suffer through more?"

"Yes. And then Kanda will have to-"  
"I need a minute," Kanda said, rising to his feet. He ran out of the room. Lavi instantly though he had gone insane, because he swore he saw the slightest hint of possible tears on Kanda's face…


End file.
